key: cord-0746267-ehv834ik
authors: Aluko, Oritoke Modupe; Lawal, Saheed Adesile; Falana, Martin-Mary; Adeagbo, Ayotunde Samuel; Ijomone, Omamuyovwi Meashack
title: Tackling COVID-19 in Africa: a focus on Nigeria’s peculiarities and challenges
date: 2021-01-05
journal: Innovation (N Y)
DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100078
sha: 2ced006785590512d8bdfec9e28419203aa4a782
doc_id: 746267
cord_uid: ehv834ik

nan

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first reported outbreak of was in China in December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International concern in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020. Italy confirmed its first cases in January 2020 and Nigeria, in February 2020. By July 2020, more than 15.3 million COVID-19 cases have been reported in more than 188 countries, resulting in over 630,000 deaths; though more than 9.3 million people recovered 1 .

The novel SARS-CoV-2 primarily targets the respiratory system, resulting in severe acute respiratory symptoms as its hallmark. It is primarily transmitted from symptomatic people to individuals in close contact through respiratory droplets, or direct contact with contaminated objects/surfaces. There are mild to moderate respiratory problems in most COVID-19 infected people who recover without the need for special therapy. However, several others particularly older people and those with underlying medical challenges are more likely to develop serious illnesses 2 . Treatments such as dexamethasone, chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, and convalescent plasma have been deployed, though with controversial outcomes.

Globally, several containment strategies and mitigation measures are used to prevent the spread of COVID-19, although each country may vary depending on its health demands and peculiarities. These measures include total or partial lockdown, effective personal and public hygienes, use of nose masks, protecting the most vulnerable, isolating infected or suspectedinfected persons, and testing. In Nigeria, several precautions and interventions were provided by the WHO and NCDC to contain the pandemic 2, 3 .

As of 23rd July 2020, Africa recorded 770,175 confirmed including 435,142 (52%) recoveries and 16,446 (2.1%) deaths. South Africa and Western Sahara recorded the highest and lowest confirmed cases with 394,948 and 10 respectively. Mauritius and Namibia recorded the highest (96.5%) and lowest (2.8%) percentage recoveries. Asides from Western Sahara with very few cases, Chad recorded the highest percentage of death (8.4%), while Uganda, Eritrea, and Seychelles recorded no death 4 . The regional distribution summaries of COVID-19 cases in Africa ( Figure 1A ) and the top ten worst-hit African countries ( Figure 1B Nigeria, Africa's most populous and largest economy, and the third most-hit African country by COVID-19 is a good representative of the African situation. Nigeria has some peculiarities and challenges which are also common to some other African countries which have negatively affected strategies towards containment and combating the pandemic.

Health sector: The poor Nigerian health sector posed a great threat in combating the pandemic.

There were and still, insufficient health facilities, isolation centers, and daily testing capacities to manage those infected with the virus 5 . These threats showed Nigeria was not prepared to manage a pandemic. Over time, the government took some emergency decisions to combat the virus, which includes building more isolation centers and expanding the testing capacity. Yet, these measures have been grossly inadequate. Economic sustainability: The fear of economic decline and loss of income sources forced people to disobey the safety rules and regulations stated by the government. People moved out to survive claiming that more people were dying of hunger due to the lockdown than COVID-19.

interest, thereby indirectly increasing the incidence of the virus. They fail to consider the fact that both the government and individuals have roles to play in combating the virus.

There exists under-reporting of COVID-19 cases due to fears of stigmatization within the community which is quite a normal trend with Africans, due to their belief system. Responsible health policies: These can achieve a lot in defining a vision for the future which in turn helps to outline priorities, expected roles of people, and build consensus ahead of future pandemics.

This has been proven to improve surveillance, emergency response, and prevention of infectious diseases, required for not only an individual nation's health systems but global functions. 

All Africa. COVID-19 Cases in Africa

COVID-19 exposes Nigeria's wobbling healthcare system

The authors have no acknowledgment.

The authors declare no competing interests.

OMA and OMI conceived the idea. OMA and SAL wrote the first draft. MF, ASA, and OMI critically revised the content. All authors give final approval of the version to be submitted and any revised version.

No supplemental information can be found J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f